Can a Brain Injury Cause PTSD?

May 23, 2016
By
Michael J. Doyle

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Neuroscience, or the science of understanding how our brains function and
react to different stimuli, is still in a very young stage. Breakthroughs
are made regularly, expanding our comprehension of this all-important
organ and how it shapes who we are. But for everything we know about our
brains and minds, there must be a million more things we do not know for
certain, including how it reacts to injuries and traumatic experiences.
In particular, scientists and doctors have recently begun to ask, “Can
a brain injury be the cause of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD?”

PTSD is regarded as a mental illness that manifests through triggers. While
most triggers are related to a particularly violent or harrowing event,
some can be seemingly random or loosely connected. For example, someone
who was in a devastating car accident can be triggered by seeing the same
make and model car that hit them approaching, or simply seeing someone
wearing the shirt they had on during the accident could lead to a PTSD
spell. Many symptoms of PTSD are the same as symptoms of brain injuries,
leading researchers to believe that they may be directly related.

People who suffer from PTSD often experience:

Nightmares, night terrors, and insomnia

Vivid flashbacks

Anxiety, nervousness, and agitation

Emotional numbness

Persistent fear and developing trust issues

Self-destructive behavior and intentional isolation

The evidence that a traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes PTSD is certainly
there but it is not yet confirmed. It would seem that, with a cursory
review, that TBIs can manifest PTSD-like symptoms but not necessarily
create true PTSD triggers. However, if someone already suffers from PTSD due
to a disturbing event, suffering a TBI afterwards will worsen the symptoms,
creating stronger flashbacks and more frequent triggers.

If you have suffered a head injury and now experience PTSD, the two experiences
could be related. More importantly, there may be treatment options available.
In order to help you pay for treatments, you may need to bring a lawsuit
or injury claim against the party responsible for your brain injury.
Contact Albuquerque Brain Injury Attorney Michael J. Doyle today and ask for a
free initial consultation. With our firm’s legal assistance, you may be on the road to recuperation
in no time.

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Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
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